Various types of assemblies or devices have been devised for stabilizing or stiffening hanger rods, for example, for seismic bracing purposes. Such devices are often, but not always, associated with multi-directional bracing for electrical conduit, cable trays and mechanical piping systems. One common type of hanger rod stiffener assembly is that exemplified by the SC228 hanger rod assembly and the B22 channel combination made available by B-Line Systems, Inc. of Franklin Park, Ill. in which a clamp is disposed inside the channel rod stiffener to capture the threaded hanger rod and stiffen it.
Another well known approach is that exemplified by the SC-UB hanger rod stiffener assembly utilized with the B22 channel, also made available by B-Line Systems, Inc., wherein a U-bolt is connected to a flat two-hole plate by hex nuts, the threaded hanger rod being captured between the rounded portion of the U-bolt and the channel.
It is also known to use bolts similar to U-bolts but which are straight, rather than curved, at the closed end thereof, the straight closed end being orthogonal to the threaded legs of the bolt. Hanger rod slippage is a problem with this arrangement.
It is also known to weld hanger rod to a stiffener. This is time consuming and expensive. Furthermore, such a connection is permanent and a stiffener is not removable from the rod once welded into place.
All of the prior art arrangements noted above are characterized by their relative complexity, high expense and labor intensive installation.
The following U.S. patents are of record in above-identified U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/927,801. U.S. Pat. No. 5,004,194, U.S. Pat. No. 5,482,234, U.S. Pat. No. 4,944,683, U.S. Pat. No. 4,318,518, U.S. Pat. No. 1,804,472, U.S. Pat. No. 3,310,264, U.S. Pat. No. 3,121,549, U.S. Pat. No. 1,318,503, U.S. Pat. No. 4,856,739, U.S. Pat. No. 2,416,063, U.S. Pat. No. 4,441,677, U.S. Pat. No. D273,762, U.S. Pat. No. 706,903, U.S. Pat. No. 5,564,659, U.S. Pat. No. 5,284,110, U.S. Pat. No. 1,457,106, U.S. Pat. No. 1,362,244, and U.S. Pat. No. 3,316,605.
The prior art does not teach the invention disclosed and claimed herein.
The invention disclosed in my co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/870,077, referenced above, relates to a rod stiffener arrangement utilized to stabilize a hanger rod and which is readily employable to stiffen hanger rods of varying diameters. It also can utilize elongated stiffener members of differing shapes and sizes.
The stiffener arrangement is for stabilizing a hanger rod and includes a clamp having first and second clamp segments formed of deformable material as well as a third clamp segment integral with and located between the first and second clamp segments. Each of the first and second clamp segments has a distal end spaced from the third clamp segment.
At least one mechanical fastener extends between the first and second clamp segments. The mechanical fastener is spaced from the third clamp segment and fastens the first and second clamp segments together.
An elongated stiffener member having an outer surface is disposed in a space defined by the first, second and third clamp segments along with the hanger rod extending parallel to the elongated stiffener member.
The mechanical fastener, upon tightening thereof, causes formation of bends in the first and second clamp segments conforming to the shape of and engaging the portion of the outer surface of the elongated stiffener member to urge the elongated stiffener member to a predetermined position relative to the hanger rod and the clamp and maintain the elongated stiffener member at said predetermined position.